Directional Antineutrino Detection

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel, truly directional antineutrino detector design capable of precise event localization, with broad applications in nuclear monitoring, geo-neutrino mapping, and neutrino physics research.

Contribution

It presents the first truly directional antineutrino detector design using adjacent scintillator planes, enabling event directionality and potential for practical implementation with existing technology.

Findings

Design allows neutron escape without elastic scattering

Event position and positron momentum are trackable

Prototype feasible with current technology

Abstract

We propose the first truly directional antineutrino detector for antineutrinos above the hydrogen inverse beta decay (IBD) threshold, with potential applications including monitoring for nuclear nonproliferation, spatially mapping geo-neutrinos, characterizing the diffuse supernova neutrino background, and searching for new physics in the neutrino sector. The detector consists of adjacent and separated target and capture scintillator planes. IBD events take place in the target layers, which are thin enough to allow the neutrons to escape without scattering elastically. The neutrons are detected in the thicker, boron-loaded capture layers. The location of the IBD event and the momentum of the positron are determined by tracking the positron's trajectory through the detector. Our design is a straightforward modification of existing antineutrino detectors; a prototype could be built with existing technology.